Harvest Moon- Love triangle: Skye & Gustafa
by Tanuki-fics
Summary: Jill had to drop everything in her life after receiving a call about her fathers death. A lot has changed since her childhood in Forget-Me-Not Valley, what will her new lifestyle have in store for her? How will she stand being in the center of a love triangle between the mysterious thief Skye and the sensual musician Gustafa?
1. Stepping into the Shadow of a New Life

**Chapter 1- Stepping into the shadow of a new life**

I'll never forget the day I received that phone call. My entire life came to a crashing halt.

A lower, firm voice spoke to me after a small hesitation, "Hello…? Jill? This is Takakura, I'm calling to inform you that your father…"

I never thought it would be so easy to just drop everything in my life, but the farm was my father's dream, and his legacy. I left my father behind to pursue a life I thought I wanted, and I can't help but wonder if that has anything to do with how soon he passed. No matter what, I'm going to make Harvest Farm a success.

That's how I feel, but I can't help but be nervous! Today is the day that I'm taking all of my belongings and meeting Takakura at the train station. Takakura is an old family friend, my dad's best friend as a matter of fact, they both managed Harvest Farm together; the success of the farm was both of their passions. I'm sure Forget-Me-Not Valley has significantly changed since my childhood. My heart is pounding with anticipation and a small amount of anxiety. I wonder… will anyone remember me?

As I was staring off into the distance at the train station, contemplating my future, a shadow appeared behind me.

"Hey!" a familiar voice called out to me, I turned around to see a tall, weathered old man facing me. "It's me, Takakura. My, my, you've sure grown up a lot since you've left", he spoke in a fatherly tone of voice, "I hope you've been well".

"I've been doing fine, until, y'know, the call…" my voice trailed off- making Takakura feel bad wasn't my intention in the slightest, so I quickly change the subject. "How have things on the farm been?" I asked him in a curious voice.

"Well…." He trailed off

[. . .]

"ACK!" I cried out upon seeing the catastrophe in front of my eyes.

We had arrived on the farm after about a two hour long train ride, I was so excited I could hardly wait to get here, but I wasn't expecting this! The farm was a mess- the fields were covered in stones, sticks, and weeds! The only buildings were my soon-to-be new house, Takakura's house, and one single, empty stable. I mean, I can hardly blame them, you can't exactly expect two very old men to properly take care of meticulous work like weeding and de-cluttering the fields. I'm just kind of surprised there's no stable for cows or-

"In case you were wondering, " Takakura interrupted my thoughts with perfect timing, "We used to have several stables for cows and chickens, however, tsunami's frequent our area- the material used wasn't sturdy enough to withstand the storms." He looked off into the distance with a solemn look on his face, "after the first few times we just weren't able to go through the process again. I'm sorry to start you off on the farm with so much work ahead of you. I'll help out as much as I can."

After hearing that, I started to feel bad, of course they had multiple stables and what not, my dad devoted his life to his work. And I'm going to do the same!

"Takakura!", I exclaimed after a small hesitation, "I'm definitely going to give it my all on the farm! You and I will work together to restore Harvest Farm to its original glory! We'll accomplish yours and dad's ambitions, and even more!"

Takakura laughed for a bit and with a warm smile he responded, "there's nothing I'd love more. But first, we should go around town and introduce you to everyone. As much as I want you to focus on your farm work, having a social life is important, too". I nodded and followed behind Takakura, feeling apprehensive about my introduction.

A few hours went by as I met several new people. There are so many new faces in Forget-Me-Not Valley, I had to ask Takakura what some people's names were again along the way. Takakura didn't seem to mind helping me memorize everyone's names, either, I'm sure he understands the hassle of meeting so many new people all at once. There were a handful of people that I remember from my childhood though: Nina & Galen, Romana and Dr. Hardy are all familiar to me, but they all look so different now.

"It's really cool that the Inner Inn is full of people now! Back when I lived here, it was always vacant. Everyone staying there seemed really nice too" I mentioned to Takakura while walking to the next person I'm to meet, "The girl with the short red hair seemed really cool, I'd love to be friends with her!" I exclaimed very excitedly.

Takakura responded, "That's Nami, she's practically Tim & Ruby's daughter. Don't expect her to stay for too long, she's a traveler at heart" A look of disappointment stretched across my face, Takakura seemed to notice. "But so are Tim & Ruby, the reason the Inn was always vacant was because they were off traveling, themselves" he said, trying to explain things better. I really appreciate the sweet, fatherly side Takakura has sometimes, it really makes me feel nostalgic.

As we were walking towards the beach, the faint sound of music could be heard playing. I looked around to see the figure of a man sitting on a hill and playing the guitar. He was wearing a large sombrero and sitting next to a very colorful hut.

"Who is that?" I ask Takakura, now pointing to the source of the faint music.

"Oh, that's Gustafa. He's the local hippie, and a pretty decent musician. We should go over there next", Takakura replied as he led me up the hill. The melody grew louder as we finally made our way up the hill, then suddenly, it stopped.

"Hey!" an unacquainted voice called out, "How's it going?" Sitting there was a man who appeared to be a few years older than myself. Seeing him up close, his large green sombrero had flowers weaved through it, he wore large purple sunglasses, he had a large beard, and he wore very colorful clothes that matched what appeared to be his home. He's facing me, but I can't exactly tell if our eyes are locked, I can't really see through his shades.

"Hello, Gustafa", Takakura replied, "This is Jill. She's going to be taking over her father's place on Harvest Farm with me, and I was just going around introducing her to everyone". Takakura gestured over for me to say something to Gustafa; I panicked from being lost in thought.

"Oh, ah, i-it's nice to meet you!" the words fumbled out of my mouth, "I, er, really liked your music. You're really talented" I could feel a slight blush coming across my face, I really need to stop getting lost in my thoughts, it really makes me look like a ditzy person.

"Thank you!" Gustafa's face brightened as he responded, "maybe sometime I could play a song for you" he started strumming his guitar lightly.

Takakura's body language suggested he might be getting impatient, "that would be nice, but Jill has to go finish meeting everyone in town still, before it gets too dark out". I looked over to the sun that was setting beautifully over the winding path, leading up into the hills. Takakura is right, I've still yet to meet anybody that lives on the other side of the bridge, and the sun's already almost down.

"Oh, that's too bad" Gustafa murmured in response, "maybe some other time then". I smiled, nodded, and waved goodbye, just as I did to everyone else prior.

As we were walking away, Takakura spoke up, "I'm sorry if I cut you two short, I'd just like to get introductions taken care of on day one". We were crossing the bridge and nearing the other farm. I had noticed that farm earlier on my way to Forget-Me-Not Valley.

"Nah, don't worry about that, it's no big deal" I disregarded that topic and pursued a new one, "What's up with this though? When did a second farm develop here?" I have to admit, having such a large rival like this right off bat was kind of nerve-wracking.

Takakura smiled gently, "There's nothing wrong with a little friendly competition. Think of them more as farming allies than farming rivals. You can even buy seeds from them" he reassured me. It appears that this farm only works with produce and not livestock, I noticed during my surveillance of their property. _At least we'll have that over them_ I thought to myself. I can't help but be a naturally competitive person.

Takakura seemed to really enjoy being around Vesta, Marlin, and Celia. They seemed like really great people too, very kind-hearted, and offering me all sorts of advice for my new life on the farm. Now I feel kind of bad for forming a rivalry with them in my mind, I can see that they really are more like allies than competitors.

We also met a couple working together at a rune excavation site, I thought it was super interesting what they were doing and they even offered for me to help out sometime! Carter and Flora were their names, I think. We stopped by to see Galen and Nina before heading home for the night, they were really glad to see me again. In a way, they're like the grandparents I never had. It'll be nice to see them all the time now!

I had finally officially met everyone in Forget-Me-Not Valley and by the end, I was very fatigued- who knew meeting people all day long would be so exhausting? We had just gotten to Harvest Farm when Takakura stopped immediately.

"Ah, sorry, Jill, you can go head on and go rest for the night", Takakura spoke up, "I forgot to give Vesta the money I owed her from the fertilizer I got the other day". He was clearly fatigued from the long day as well, there was no way I'd let him go all the way back out there.

"I've got it, no worries!" I exclaimed to him, "I'll return it for you. Now that I've officially met Vesta, I should probably get used to interacting with her, haha". A soft, warm look washed over Takakura's face, as if he knew that I was just doing this for his sake.

"Be safe and hurry back", he replied, "We have an even longer day ahead of us tomorrow". Takakura reached into his pocket and handed me the money I was to deliver. After I skipped off in the direction of Vesta's farm, he turned around and staggered into his home.

As expected, I shortly made it to Vesta's safe and sound. Marlin, Vesta's younger brother, answered the door in a grumpy manner, as if my late night visit was bothersome. His temper gave me a sense of uneasiness, so I quickly gave him the money along with the explanation for it, and turned around to be on my way.

The night sky illuminated the path for me, the stars always shimmered with such beauty in Forget-Me-Not Valley a sense of nostalgia flooded me once again. Since I delivered the money, there's no real rush for me to hurry home. _Besides, it's so safe here_ , I thought to myself as I gazed up into the night sky. I must've been so distracted I didn't hear the sound of someone approaching me from behind.

"The stars are almost as beautiful as you are" an unfamiliar voice whispered into my ear. My heart was racing as I jumped back, absolutely startled by the voice.

In front of me was the most beautiful man I'd ever laid eyes on: he had long, shoulder length silver hair, bright green eyes, and a voice so smooth he could've swept me away right then and there. The mysterious man had a particular fashion sense- he wore a flashy grey cheetah-print shirt, elegant purple pants, and various accessories. I could feel myself significantly blushing at not just the sight of him, but what he has just whispered into my ear.

"W-Who are you? I thought I had met everyone in Forget-Me-Not Valley today" I asked the beautiful stranger. As his eyes scanned me up and down, I could feel my face glowing more and more red.

"I thought I hadn't seen your gorgeous face around here before", he responded with a sly smile, "You can call me Skye".

/Chapter 1- end/


	2. Nodding in Responde

**Chapter 2- Nodding in Response**

"You can call me Skye", the striking silver haired stranger introduced himself, "I don't really come around here too often during the day, but if the weather's nice, I'll come, but only at night"

"I-It's nice to meet you, Skye, my name is Jill", I replied. I could still feel myself blushing at the sight of him, I'd honestly never seen a man with such beauty.

"Jill… what a lovely name for such a gorgeous woman", he suavely replied, "what are you doing out so late by yourself? You know, Forget-Me-Not Valley isn't as safe as you'd think it is".

"What?" I asked, very surprised and slightly confused, "I grew up in this valley and I've never known it to be particularly dangerous in the slightest. Everyone here is so kind and civil, what do I have to be afraid of?"

"You've only recently arrived again, so it makes sense that you don't know", Skye replied, "There's been a mysterious Phantom thief that's been targeting people from this valley lately" his eyes drifted away for a few seconds, "you ever know when you, yourself, might be his next target" his eyes darted back to mine briefly.

"Well, I'm not about to let _anybody_ rob Harvest Farm", I replied restlessly, "I mean, there's not really anything of value on the farm currently, but I'll rebuild it to how my father once had it", I said now with much more excitement in my voice. Skye chuckled.

"So, you live on that seemingly vacant farm?" Skye asked me in an amused voice, "you mentioned a few seconds ago that you grew up here? Did you leave or something?"

I nodded, "Yes, I spent my childhood growing up here, but when I became an adult I decided to leave to find my own path in life. I left my father to tend to the farm practically alone, and he just recently passed", I said now with a somber tone.

"Oh no, I'm so sorry to hear that", Skye said with genuine sadness in his voice.

I smiled and waved my hands, I wasn't trying to make him feel bad or anything, "Oh, no, no, don't be sorry. What's important is that I'm back now, ready to carry on his legacy with Harvest Farm!" I said with a smile.

"You're a very sweet and caring woman", Skye replied warmly, "I know where Harvest Farm is, I can walk you home, if you'd like, that is".

My face lit up, "Oh, sure, if you wouldn't mind! I'd appreciate the company", I replied just as warmly to him.

Skye and I chatted the entire time he walked me back to the farm. He walked me to the entrance of the farm and said his farewells, "for now" as he said. Is it strange that I genuinely can't wait to see him again? It's all I could think about after I climbed into bed.

"BRRRRRRIIIINGGGGGG!" The alarm clock went off, waking me from my deep slumber. Ahh, time to wake up already—6 AM. Takakura said today would be a lot of hard work, and I have to mentally prepare myself for that before I actually get out of bed. Groaning, I roll myself up and out onto the hard wooden floor, when suddenly there was knocking at my door.

"Jill, it's Takakura!" he said in a loud voice without opening the door, "I'm not sure if you're up yet, but we've gotta get up and at _em_ '!"

I continue groaning, now getting dressed and grabbing a quick riceball to eat before I start the day. For a moment I pause and look around my new abode, I guess after my encounter with Skye yesterday, I just went right to bed after that. I never got the chance to survey the place. It's a relatively small living area, and fairly empty too. At least there was a rug on the floor, but it's apparent that it'll be up to me to customize the place.

I walk out of the front door to be greeted by Takakura once again, "Good Morning, Jill. Are you ready to start the day?" I nodded in response, not eager for the work in store for me.

"All I need you to do for today is get rid of all of the clutter in the property—the sticks, stones, and weeds need to be taken care of. I know it's tedious work, and it was always your father and I's least favorite part of the job, so I greatly appreciate your labor." I nodded in response once again, at least my workload for today really isn't that bad. I was kind of expecting to be bringing up buildings or something, like Animal Sheds or a Silo or something.

"Once more thing I need to explain before we get started," he cut me off right before I turned around to start working, "is how we make our income currently on Harvest Farm." Takakura explained that with no Animal Shed, we can't have any livestock or income from it, and that the only stable that's currently built is only suitable for a horse (but we don't even have one). No, presently, we make our income from shipping items out of town, and that it's basically up to me to earn the money and get the materials to build buildings and expand my home on my own time. It was honestly a lot to take in all at once; it sort of got me feeling down after learning of all my newfound responsibilities.

About three hours went by and it's finally complete! I have all the weeds, sticks, and stones organized and ready to be shipped out. Takakura said that shipping all of this actually won't make us much, and advised going around the valley in search of herbs and flowers and such to ship. He even recommended going to help Carter & Flora at the dig site, as they'll let me keep most artifacts I find. Now that my workload is finally finished, I can go enjoy a stroll around the village. Just the thought of it put a smile on my face.

As I set out on my search for things to ship, I kept finding myself thinking about Skye again. I… really want to see him. I can't help myself, I feel really fascinated with him, I'm not even sure what it really is, but I want to know more about him. I stopped for a moment to pick some red grass herbs and some flowers. I remember the Moondrop Flower from my childhood, to think that one day I'd be picking them once again, it gave me a nostalgic smile. I began walking in search of more items to ship when a now familiar voice called out my name, "Jill!"

I turn around to see Gustafa, running quickly to catch up to me. "Hello!" I chime, "You're Gustafa, right? How are you doing today?"

"Ah, you know, just connecting with nature like I do everyday- it really inspires me musically", he proceeded to explain. Gustafa is rather eccentric, but in a nice way. "I could play that song for you now, if you'd like" he offered.

"As much as I'd really love to hear you play, I've got to get back to finding items to ship before 5 PM, and I've only got just a few hours before then, I'm sorry", I responded. I feel bad for always having to decline his offer to play music, I'd honestly like to hear it sometime.

Gustafa smiled, "That's perfectly fine, I completely understand, there's always next time. Would you mind if I walked around with you for a bit? I could help you carry some things", he asked. I nodded in response, just as I have all morning. Sometimes it just seems more fitting to respond without having to use words. As I was walking with Gustafa, thoughts of Skye started to fill my mind.

"Um, Gustafa?" I asked, "Do you know anything about the Phantom Thief that's been around the valley?" Gustafa paused for a moment.

"I don't know too much, I've never seen the thief myself", he replied to my question, "and he's never targeted me or anything. I guess he leaves a note the night before he strikes, saying the time and everything. But, no one's ever seen his face, let alone been able to catch him yet". This sent chills down my spine; I never thought something like this would ever happen in Forget-Me-Not Valley.

"I'd really like to see him with my own eyes", I said, filled with anticipation. Gustafa frowned with disapproval.

"I don't think it's such a good idea to go chasing after trouble like that. You'd be lucky if you _didn't_ ever have to see him", he responded somewhat coldly. "I mean, it's just not safe—"

"No, no, I get it", I cut him off mid sentence, "I think Takakura would say the same". Despite the apparent disapproval of trying to actually catch the thief, I still want to do something about the situation. I don't care who objects, I'm going to do what I can to stop the Phantom Thief. There was an awkward silence between Gustafa and I, but I was so preoccupied with my thoughts that I didn't even notice at first. I bent over and picked up another Moondrop flower, and handed it over to Gustafa.

"What's this for?", he asked, a bit surprised.

"Consider it a gift from me to you. Maybe next time you'll be able to play that song for me", I smiled. "It's about time for me to go for now, but maybe sometime tomorrow after I'm finished with my work, we can hang out?", I asked. I'd really like to make some new friends in the valley and I think befriending Gustafa would be a great first step. Gustafa's face turned rather red, was he … blushing?

"Thank you!", he responded eagerly, now weaving his new flower into his giant green sombrero. I smiled back, pleased to see how much he appreciate the small gesture of kindness.

We waved goodbye to each other as I made my way back to the farm. Honestly, I think I'd have gotten much more done had I done it alone, but it was nice to finally get to chat with Gustafa. I placed the items in the bin to be shipped, except for one particular Moondrop flower, and then headed back home to freshen up after a long day. The days seem to go by so much faster here than in the city. I decided to take a quick bath to wash away the fatigue of my first day of being an official farmer. Looking out the window, I realized it was getting rather dark again. The reason I saved one flower was to offer it to a particular silver haired boy, if I stayed in the bath for too long, I might miss him. I finished freshening up and skipped out the door, only to run directly into Takakura- _**oof!**_

"Jill? Where are you going this late at night?", he asked me genuinely confused.

"Ahh, you know … just out for a late night walk, ahaha" I replied nervously, I didn't anticipate getting caught right off the bat. But I mean, I'm an adult, I can leave whenever I want.

"You know, there's been talk of a mysterious thief that's been wandering around these parts at night. I don't really think—" Takakura said as I cut him off just like with Gustafa earlier,

"Yeah, yeah, I've heard the rumors of the Phantom thief and I'm not afraid of him. Just let him try to rob Harvest Farm!" I replied with fire in my eyes. Takakura laughed a bit at my ferocity.

"Hahah, you really are your father's daughter. I'm sure you're perfectly capable of taking care of yourself, just like yesterday night. Just try to hurry home soon", Takakura said in a very warm, fatherly tone. A sense of gratitude flooded me, I can't explain how much I appreciate Takakura being in my life again. He really is like a father figure to me. I began walking towards the entrance of the valley, just passed Vesta's farm, that's around the area that I first met Skye, so I'm sure he'll show up here again. I sat next to a one of the multiple wind turbines next to Vesta's farm.

The weather is nice, so hopefully he'll show up, I thought to myself. Not too long after I thought that, I heard footsteps coming, and a figure emerged from the winding path up the hills. It was dark, I couldn't see who exactly it was, so I stood beside the wind turbine and waited anxiously. Before I knew it, Skye walked out from the path, his silver hair faintly blowing in the wind. He glanced over and saw me almost immediately.

"Hm? What are you doing here?", Skye asked, seemingly genuinely caught off guard. Just finally seeing him again I could faint blush coming on.

"Err, I just … really wanted to see you again. Here, I brought you this", I handed the Moondrop flower over to him. Skye's face lit up with amusement,

"Hehe, for me? That's so kind of you", he responded, "but your beauty far outshines that of a mere flower" he took the Moondrop flower I have him and put it behind my ear, gently. "You should keep it, it suits you more" he then said, staring into my eyes. For some reason, it kind of hurt that he didn't accept the gift, but ultimately I was just happy to get to see him. I want to know more about him. I _need_ to know more about him.

"So, Skye, where are you from? Why do you only come to Forget-Me-Not Valley at night?", I asked him, essentially desperate for the answers. Skye smiled slyly and patted my head.

"Hehe, you want to know more about me? I have many secrets, Jill, maybe you'll find out one day", he replied teasingly, "but not today. How about I walk you home, like yesterday?". Once again, I nodded in response, just as I have all day today. My encounter with Skye didn't go exactly according to plan as I thought it would. But I'm just glad I get to chat with him again. As we were walking towards the entrance to Harvest Farm, I turned to Skye.

"Skye, is it alright if I continue to meet up with you at night? I really enjoy talking with you, and since you only come at night—" this time I was the one who was cut off mid sentence,

"I would be absolutely honored if I were to be greeted with your beautiful face when I come to the valley at night. Assuming the weather is nice, of course, I don't come when the weather is rainy or snowy, unfortunately", Skye spoke very softly. Skye is so charming, I was definitely blushing by the end of his statement. My blushing seemed to please Skye.

"So it's a deal then, if the weather is nice at night, I'll come meet you by the entrance of Forget-Me-Not Valley every then" I said, trying to cement the proposal. Skye chucked, and this time, he was the one who nodded in response to me. I felt a warm sensation overcome me and I smiled as we said our goodbyes, "for now", just like last time. Out of everyone I met since my return, I have the strongest connection with Skye, I'm so glad I met him.

I crawled back into bed, finally able to rest after my first day of work on the farm. I can't wait to make the farm legendary like it used to be. Maybe one day, Skye can come over and see my progress. I think he'd be impressed.

For the second night in a row, I feel asleep to many thoughts of the mysterious Skye. I'll definitely get to know more about him … one day.

/Chapter 2- end/


	3. Rain, Rain, Go Away

**Chapter 3- Rain, Rain, Go Away**

A few days had passed by, and I was finally starting to get the hang of life on the farm again. Takakura is such an enormous help, I couldn't imagine having to do this all by myself. It's been raining a lot recently, so Skye hasn't came to Forget-Me-Not Valley in a few days. It's gotten me feeling rather gloomy lately. I sighed heavily as I finished the last of my workload for the day, Takakura seemed to notice.

"What's the matter, Jill? Has something got you feeling down? You've been out of it all morning", he spoke up. There's no way I could tell Takakura about my late night meetings with Skye, and how much I miss them, at least not yet. Besides, I get the feeling Skye wants to remain low-key amongst the villagers for whatever reason. Maybe he's a celebrity or something! My face lit up at the thought of it. There was a long silence before I actually responded to Takakura.

"Oh, haha, I'm fine. It's just been raining a lot lately, I miss the sunshine", I hastily replied after I noticed the long pause. Here's hoping he actually believed that. Takakura started at me a bit longer then nodded.

"I see, that's understandable. Just try to remember that the rain isn't all that bad, it can be a big help when having to water crops. Speaking of crops…" Takakura explained that it's time we start planting some crops to harvest for the Spring. I made a few phone calls and picked up some seeds and groceries from the supermarket. Takakura recommended picking up some fertilizer from Vesta's Farm at some point today.

After I was finally free from my morning chores, I grabbed my umbrella and skipped out the door of my home. Even on rainy days, I relish the opportunity to take a walk around the village. Maybe I'll even gather some items to ship out today too. I decided to bring some of the wine I picked up from the supermarket with me today, on the off chance I feel like drinking. Since I have a little bit of free time today, I figured I'd go and see Gustafa, who knows, maybe he'll actually be able to play the song for me today. I headed in the direction of Gustafa's yurt when I heard faint laughter. Gustafa was standing over by Turtle Pond, talking with the beautiful red haired girl I met on my first day in town. I do believe her name was Nami, if I'm remembering correctly. I decided back then that I wanted to befriend her, and I wasn't about to let this opportunity pass! I quickly darted in their direction.

"Hey!", I called out to them, grasping their attention. Neither of them were using an umbrella, nor seemed to be the slightest bit bothered by the rain.

"Hey, Jill!", Gustafa responded. Nami said nothing, but she faintly smiled and waved a bit. I finally caught up to them, a little winded from the run.

"How's it going?", I casually asked, after I realized that I had no idea what to say now that I'm here talking to them. Neither of them seemed to mind the small talk, though.

"We're just enjoying the rain", Nami finally spoke, "and watching the turtles for a bit. It really helps clear your mind". Gustafa sat down on the wet grass and began strumming his guitar, staring off into the pond. A somewhat awkward silence grew.

"Ah, I noticed that neither of you are using umbrellas", I nervously mention, "you don't care about getting soaked?". Both of them shook their heads no.

"It's nice to just let the rain wash away all of the stress of the day. As long as I have a dry pair of clothes to change into, I don't mind going home soaked at all", Nami replied, now standing up against a tree. Both Nami and Gustafa are so tranquil and in tune with nature. They'd actually make a really great couple, now that I think about it. I vaguely remember Takakura mentioning to me that Nami enjoys traveling, so I figured it'd make a nice conversation piece.

"So, uh, Nami", I start, "Takakura mentioned to me that you like to travel. What kind of places have you been to?" Nami seemed eager to speak of her worldly experiences, and I was just as eager to hear them. I traveled a bit after leaving Forget-Me-Not Valley, but nothing like what she's experienced. Gustafa listened quietly with a smile, seemingly happy that Nami and I were bonding. I turned over to Gustafa now, trying to initiate conversation with him, too. "So, have you been working on any new songs?", I asked him. Nami turned to look at him, as well.

"I have a nice melody going, but so far I don't know what to make the song about", he replied with a smile back to us, "I'm sure it won't take long for me to find inspiration for it". Gustafa and I chatted for a while before Nami decided she'd take her leave,

"I have to head back to help Ruby with some things back at the Inn", she stated, "I'll catch you two around some other time. It was nice talking with you today, Jill, you're a really interesting person", Nami flashed us a final quick smile and turned around to be on her way. I couldn't help but grin, too, I'm just so happy that my possible friendship with Nami is turning out so well! Gustafa notices my grin and comments on it,

"You sure look happy. Were you that excited to talk to Nami?", he asked me, now strumming his guitar again.

"Yeah!", I chimed, "From the moment I saw her, I definitely wanted to befriend her. I'm really glad I got the chance to talk with her today" I continued, "when I'm around you guys, I just find myself smiling a lot. You two have nice vibes" Gustafa laughed at the comment.

Gustafa began singing over the melody he was playing on his guitar, "You have a ~ pretty chill vibe, yourself ~, Jill ~". I blushed a little at the serenade, nobody's ever sang to me before like this. My face lit up as I remembered what I brought with me in my bag.

"Oh, Gustafa! Do you like wine?", I excitedly asked, "I brought some with me today in case I felt like having a drink". Gustafa's face perked at the statement and he eagerly agreed to share a drink with me.

"You know, if you like drinking, you should come to the Blue Bar with me sometime. I think you'd really like the company there. Everyone is so relaxed and nice, I think you'd love Muffy and Griffin", he suggested.

"Ah, I briefly met them on my first day back in Forget-Me-Not Valley, but I haven't had the chance to stop by for a drink yet", I reply, "but I'll definitely stop by there sometime with you! Nami can even come!" I chimed as a cracked open the first wine bottle, Gustafa then did the same, and we did cheers before we both took the first drinks. The rain slowly started to let up. At some point, I had set my umbrella down without even noticing, I'm completely soaked just like Nami and` Gustafa. Somehow, it doesn't really bother me as much. Maybe since the weather is clearing up, Skye might show up tonight! Gustafa notices me dazing off and speaks up,

"What's up, got something on your mind?", he asks, staring at me through his shades. I hesitated as I stared back at him for a second.

"You know", I start off, "I've never seen you without your sunglasses on before", I chuckled. "What color are your eyes?" I then ask him. Gustafa blushed and laughed a bit, slowly removing his shades. His eyes shone a bright, icy blue color. It actually took me aback a little, I didn't expect him to have such beautiful eyes. My face turns red without me even noticing, however, Gustafa sure noticed. "Y-You have really pretty eyes, Gustafa!", I finally said after a pause between us. He smiled as he slid his sunglasses back on his face.

"Thank you, Jill, I'm flattered", he shyly retorted as he then averted my gaze, "you have beautiful eyes, yourself". My face continued to grow hotter. Was his compliment really making me blush this much? My head started pounding, as I felt began to feel dizzy. _I just need to shake the feeling off_ , I thought to myself. I took a few really big drinks of my wine, hoping it would cure my ailment. I stayed and tipsily chatted with Gustafa for about another hour before it started to get dark. Being the gentleman that he is, Gustafa offered to walk me home, and I accepted his offer; by this time I was far too tipsy to be in my right mind.

"Ahh~", I cried out in an exasperatedly satisfied tone, "I'm ~so~ happy it's not rainin' anymore". My head throbbed once again, this time worse than earlier. But drunk me is a lot more resilient than sober me, so I hit it well. Gustafa patted my head,

"I'm just sorry that you wound up getting soaked when it could've been avoided", he spoke softly to me, "but as long as you enjoyed yourself, then all is well".

"I'm jus happy the rain finally went away! He might actually _come_ t'night!" I excitedly chimed, "I really, really hope he doesss", I sang. Gustafa stopped walking and paused.

"You really hope who comes tonight", he asked very confused. I froze stiff, knowing I had just goofed. I blushed a bit, with no clue of what to say back to him.

"Oh, y'know…" I awkwardly slurred, "just a person…". Luckily we weren't too far from Harvest Farm in the first place, so it was a short walk back. I skipped forward a few steps, hoping Gustafa would just forget about my little slip up. He seemed to drop it, at least for now. I thanked Gustafa and waved bye to him then I practically ran indoors. _I'm sure he's suspicious now_ , I thought to my paranoid self. I watched him walk away from through the blinds. I looked at the clock, it was 8 PM. Just enough time for me to escape over to the entrance of the valley to see if Skye plans to show up tonight! 

"Oww!", I mutter to myself as my head continues to throb painfully. Something's definitely wrong, but now's not the time to deal with it! I glance through the blinds once more to make sure the coast is clear before I sneak out of the front door. Within a few minutes of jogging, I arrive at my usual waiting spot. By now, the nausea takes over and I need to crouch down for a bit. It's only 8:30 PM now, I can wait an hour and a half to see if he'll come. It'll go by fast. It's just been _so_ long, I _need_ to see him, it feels like. I start rocking back and forth as I can feel my vision fading.

[. . .]

I somewhat woke up to being shaken lightly by a familiar voice calling my name, "Jill?" it faintly called out to me. I didn't know it at the time, but Skye actually did show up, thankfully, because I was running a fever from being soaked in the rain all day. All the wine probably didn't help, either. Skye had found me passed out on the side of the road, clearly ill. He carried me all the way home that night, I only wish I could've been fully conscious for it. All I have now are vague memories of it. By the time I regained full consciousness, I abruptly sat up- I woke in my bed at 12:00 AM, not feeling recovered, but definitely a lot better.

"Hehe. Finally awake, gorgeous?", Skye's voice softly spoke up. This caught me by surprise; I didn't at all expect to see Skye standing before me in my own home. "Your home certainly wasn't what I expected it to look like. But you've only just moved here, so it's understandable", he said with a gentle smile as he walked over to me and placed the back of his hand on my forehead. "It still seems that you're running a fever. I found you passed out on the roadside on my way into town- you were completely soaked. You probably still are, since you're still wearing the wet clothes, but I didn't want to undress you myself", he said sternly then chuckled, "at least not yet" he mumbled. I was far too out of it to comprehend his sly comment.

"I… I'm so sorry", I solemnly replied, "I didn't mean to cause you so much trouble. I just really wanted to see you again, it felt like it'd been so long since I last talked with you, even though I knew I wasn't feeling well, I fought it, just on the off chance I'd get to see you. Even though it rained today, I still wanted to take the chance". I turned to face Skye, who was now crouched down on his knees next to my bed.

"Don't be sorry, silly", he responded in an endearing tone, "I'm just glad I found you. I stayed to make sure you'd recover, and I intend to follow through on my promise". _Promise?,_ I thought to myself. Skye spoke up again, "And as long as it's alright with you, I'd like to stay until tomorrow night. I want to stay throughout the day to take care you, and also, I'm just not up for leaving Forget-Me-Not Valley during the daytime. If you don't mind, I'd like to keep my presence here unknown, for now", he winked. I quickly nodded in agreement.

I was incredibly touched at Skye's compassion, my heart began pounding at the thought of Skye staying the night. Still not completely in my right mind, I jumped up and hugged Skye tightly, without a second thought. "I really appreciate you going to all of the lengths just to take care of me", I whispered into his ear. Skye's face began to glow bright red, he was caught off guard by the sudden hug.

"Hehe", he giggled, "now, now. It's my privilege. But, you should really get changed into some warm pajamas, you're starting to get _my_ clothes wet". He helped me up out of bed and over to the bathroom to get changed. As I was getting changed, I just sat there for a moment to wrap my head around the entire situation. _I don't have a couch_ , I thought to myself, _that's probably why Skye mentioned me just moving here! Where's he gonna sleep?_ I finished changing into my pajamas and peeked my head out of the doorway, to see Skye cooking something on my small, portable stovetop. _He's sure made himself at home already,_ I thought to myself briefly. I walked over to him, the scent coming from the cooking smelled great!

"What are you cooking?", I curiously asked him, now peeking from behind his shoulder. I was so close to Skye that I could smell him, his scent smelled like vanilla. Skye leaned his head back on me a bit, which got me feeling butterflies again.

"My Dear, I'm making you my world famous curry ~", he chimed, "I'm willing to bet that you haven't eaten all day, and my curry will do you wonders". I smile and stare at the food cooking, he wasn't wrong about me not eating all day, so I'm really excited to try Skye's food. "Now, if you could just do me one favor while I'm cooking, I would be much obliged" he hummed to me.

"What's that?", I ask him, genuinely curious of what he'd ask me to do.

"I need you to write a note for the old man you work with. You see, I don't think you're in good enough condition to work on the farm tomorrow, everyone needs a sick day every now and then", he said with his eyes closed, "besides, I'd be awful lonely if you went and left me here all alone tomorrow", he teased. Honestly so much has happened so fast, I can't believe Skye is going to stay the night, and the day tomorrow. I feel like a teenager who is sneaking their boyfriend over for the night. The thought of that made me chuckle a little.

"I think that sounds great", I said to Skye, "I'm going to really enjoy spending tomorrow with you. It'll be my first time seeing you during the day, I'm pretty excited for it", I teased him back. _T-This is flirting, right? We're_ _ **flirting**_ _with eachother?_ I nervously thought to myself. I like Skye. I _really_ like Skye. And it's strange, I've only known him for a few weeks now, but I really want to be a part of his world. _Maybe I'm getting attached too quickly, I'm sure Skye doesn't feel the same way_ , I continued to think to myself as Skye pulled out a notepad and pen for me. He seemed to notice my distraught expression.

"Is everything okay?", he asked me, "are you feeling worse?" his concerned expression made me hurt a little.

"Ahh I'm fine!", I wave my hands to respond, there was noo way I could tell him what I was really thinking. He raised his hand to my forehead again.

"Still pretty warm", he murmured to himself as he turned to stir the curry. He handed me the pad and pen to write the note to Takakura:

 _Hey Takakura,_

 _I'm not feeling well. I stayed out in the rain all day yesterday and came home with a fever. I won't be able to work on the farm all day tomorrow, I'm sorry for setting us back a day. I'll work hard, when I'm feeling better, to make up for this. I hope you understand. Please don't worry though, I should feel better in no time! Try not to stick around my house too much; I wouldn't want both of us getting sick. Take care,_

 _Love, Jill_

I passed the note to Skye and he quickly read it over. "You're very sincere in your writing" he smiled, "and a very hard worker it seems. Harvest Farm is _very_ lucky to have you. I'll stick this note to his for you door at some point tonight".

"You're honestly too kind to me", I softly replied to him. I sat down on my bed to relax a little. Skye set the burner on low to simmer and sat next to me on the bed.

"You know, I wasn't originally planning to stop by the valley tonight", he said, gazing into my eyes, "I was going to show up tonight, even if it was still raining. I just had to see you again. I kept thinking of you on all those rainy days" he stood up and walked back to the curry. "but I certainly wasn't planning on staying this long. I honestly' didn't even expect you to be waiting there, since it was so rainy earlier today. Seeing you laying there, unresponsive with a high fever, really worried me". Hearing Skye say all of this made me unbelievably happy, my heart was pounding and I'm positive my face was bright red, and not just from my fever.

"The curry's done~", Skye said cheerfully, changing the mood entirely, "I'll have some too. My curry is amazing, trust me. Perfecting it is one of my passions in life" he prepared two plates for us. I speedily took the first bite, and I couldn't believe how phenomenal it tasted! This was indeed the best curry I've ever had! My gleeful reaction gave Skye all he wanted- he smirked confidently. I finished the entire plate in almost no time.

"Ahhh ~", a yawned out as I fell back on the bed. Eating such a delicious meal really hit the spot; I was ready to get some rest and relaxation. I glanced over at Skye as he was putting the dishes in the sink, our eyes met for a brief second. I rolled over as far as I could to the right side of the bed and patted the left side, signaling for him to sit down. Skye giggled at the notion.

"You sure are cute when you're not feeling well", he said, now sitting on the bed, "I hope you're feeling a lot better in the morning. Thank you for spending tomorrow with me, even if you're feeling recovered. I appreciate your company". He's so suave, I sometimes wonder if he's like this with other girls. I shouldn't be so possessive, really, we aren't really dating or anything, but I can't help but feel this way. _Ahh,_ thinking of all of this keeps making my heart flutter.

I nuzzled into Skye's arm as I burrowed under the covers. I was getting steadily more and more tired, I could feel my eyelids getting heavier. Skye realized it was time for bed so he got up to turn the light off. He sat down on the floor with his back to the bed. It caught me off guard that he didn't get back into bed—the thought of that made my heart start pounding again. I'm glad the light is shut off now, at least he can't see my uncontrollable blushing.

"Skye?", I finally whispered into the dark, silent room.

"Yes?", he whispered back to me.

"I er.. scooted over for you to sleep in the bed tonight", I whispered, in my half-asleep state, "I think it would help me feel better if you did". There was a slight hesitation from him that made the silence in the room echo into my ears.

"If that's what you want", he finally whispered as he brushed his hand over my hair, "I'd be honored". Skye is so unbelievably sweet; I can't believe how much closer I feel to him verses this morning. What a day this has been. An _amazing_ day. Skye climbed into bed, laying on his side, next to me. My bed is a small size, so we both have to lay on our side to fit. Skye was so close, I could feel his breath. It was just too much for me—I had to roll over. Skye softly giggled. I thought for sure he could hear how fast my heart was beating. We were technically spooning now, but it definitely felt more comfortable than facing each other. But I was enjoying every moment of it. I could feel myself starting to drift off now. I wonder how long it took for Skye to fall asleep?

In the end, I couldn't wait to wake up to his face tomorrow morning. It almost seems like a dream come true. I'm really going to enjoy my day off tomorrow, I think.

/Chapter 3- end/


	4. That was a Close Call!

**Chapter 4- That was a close call!**

After a long night's rest, I woke up feeling nearly recovered, but still in need of some additional rest. The first thing I see when I open my eyes was Skye's beautiful face, about an inch or two away from mine, soundly sleeping. I fell asleep facing the wall last night, but I guess at some point I must've rolled over. I turned around onto my back and covered my face with both hands, feeling embarrassed. The thought of being so close to him made me blush, too much for my liking. I glanced over to the clock—it was about 9:30 AM. _Whoa, I really slept in! I'm usually up by 6 AM,_ I realized.

Just then there was a sudden knock on the door. Skye darted up out of sleep as the voice spoke up, on the other side of the front door.

"Hey, Jill, It's Takakura. I got your note, and I hope you feel better soon. You can take as much time as needed to recover. I'll keep my distance for today—I'll check on you tomorrow morning though, with any luck you'll be feeling recovered then", he yelled through the door.

"T-Thank you, Takakura!", I cried out in response, "I'll see you then!" There was a silence afterward as we could hear Takakura's footsteps walking away. Skye and I stared at each other nervously as I then let out a sign of relief. "That was close," I muttered. Skye sat back down on the bed and let out a big yawn in return, clearly still fatigued.

"I'd say", he lightly chuckled in regards to my remark, "hopefully there won't be any more close calls like that". Skye stretched his legs back out and got comfortable again. "By the way, Miss", he suddenly said in a mischievous tone, "you had almost the entire blanket all night! I had no choice but to cuddle you for warmth" he winked at me.

"Ahhhh", I whimpered as I covered my face that was glowing bright red, "I-I didn't mean to, I mean, I'm not used to sharing a bed—" Skye patted my head.

"I was just teasing you", he chuckled, "but, really, you should just share that blanket now, I'm still cold". I fixed the arrangement of the blanket and offered him his half. He eagerly dived in, and he wasn't kidding, he really was freezing! It felt so strange sharing a blanket and being so close with Skye; I started to get lost in thought. I really appreciate everything he did for me last night; I couldn't help but wonder— _how does Skye really feel about me?_ I asked myself, spacing out. Skye appeared to have taken notice, placing his hand on my forehead once again, "your fever seems to have broken".

"Er, I'm feeling a lot better", I smiled, now staring into his eyes, "I think it was the wonder curry you made last night!". Skye giggled at the notion,

"It was my pleasure, getting to be the chef for a princess like you", he replied to me, taking a small, pretend bow. _Skye is so suave, there's no way he_ isn't _like this with other girls_ , I thought to myself. I jumped up out of bed abruptly, it took Skye by surprise a bit.

"I think I'm going to get changed now", I turned around to face him, "even if I'm not planning on going out and about, I should put on some real clothes". I walked over to my dresser and began rummaging through clothes to find a nice outfit to wear. Skye paused as he watched me search for a bit. He then shrugged,

"If you say so, hun, but it might do you better to stay in comfortable clothes", he stretched out even more on my bed and rested his hands behind his head, now winking at me once again, "besides, you'd look stunning in anything you'd wear, pajamas or not, there's no need to impress lil ol' me". Skye's statement made my face glow bright red again, I wish I had better control over my blushing around Skye, I feel really embarrassed. I wish I wasn't such an awkward person!

"Well," I nervously hummed, "maybe you're right, I should stay in comfy clothes until I'm feeling completely recovered. I'll just go freshen up then" I quickly darted off to the bathroom. I stared at my flushed face in the mirror and lightly slapped my cheeks. I'm acting silly, like a giddy teenager, when I'm an adult- I shouldn't be this nervous or embarrassed. Well, I mean, it's not like I've ever had an actual serious relationship; I just don't know what to do in tense situations like these, I don't think I've ever really been as interested in someone as I am with Skye. While continuing to get lost in my thoughts, I started mindlessly doing my normal morning routine: brushing my teeth, combing my hair, washing my face, among a few other things. I glanced at the clock on the wall, it reads 10:20 AM now. _I didn't think so much time has already gone by_ , _I wonder what Skye's been up to?_ I vaguely wondered.

I peeked my head out of the doorway in hopes of seeing what Skye was doing, to see him peacefully dozing off once again. I could feel a small smile curving on my lips. Even from a distance, I could see how adorable his sleeping face was. I felt sort of lucky, I get the feeling not a lot of people get to see this side of Skye. _Now that he's the one resting, it's my turn to pay him back!_ I thought triumphantly to myself, _I'm going to cook an awesome breakfast for him to wake up to!_ I'm not exactly the best cook, but I know enough to make a relatively decent meal. I warmed up my portable stovetop and got some breakfast fixings out, preparing to make the best possible meal I could.

[. . .]

I glance over at the clock now and displays 12:40 PM, I had just finished preparing the breakfast but I guess it turned into more of a brunch. I made both Skye and I both a plate of eggs, hash browns, and toast. Normally, I don't even eat this nice of a breakfast on a regular basis, but since today is special, I decided to spice it up more. I turned off the stovetop and set the food aside to cool down some. Despite the delicious aroma wafting in the air from the cooking, Skye refused to wake up. _He must be a heavy sleeper_ , I thought to myself as I crouched down beside the bed. The silence echoed in the room, I could faintly hear him breathing. If only I'd have known a couple weeks ago when I first met Skye that right now he'd be sleeping in my bed, it made me giggle.

"Skyeee", I melodically whispered to him as I gently brushed his hair out of his face, "it's time to wakeee uppp ~". Skye made a light groaning noise then raised his hand and cupped it over mine, the hand I used to brush his hair out of his face. His eyes remained closed and he didn't say a word, though. He really is a heavy sleeper, I wonder if that has anything to do with why he only comes to the Valley at night. Thinking about how little I actually know about Skye makes me feel a bit distraught. _I should just be grateful for this moment_ , I reminded myself.

Just then there was another abrupt knocking at the door, which caused Skye to shoot up exactly like last time. I was really surprised at how quickly he jumped up again, when just a minute ago he was seemingly knocked out. And who could it be this time?

"Hey, Jill!", a voice I now recognize called out to me from on the other side of the front door, "It's me, Gustafa. I heard from Takakura that you've come down with a cold, it's probably from hanging out with us in the rain all day yesterday". Immediately I grew flustered, unsure of how to respond to him or what to do. Skye looked at me calmly and placed his finger over his lips, making a 'shhh' notion, as he hopped up and ran over to the bathroom to hide. Somehow I get the feeling he's done this all before. I walked over to the door to greet Gustafa, hoping this meeting would be brief. I opened the door ever so slightly,

"Ah, hello, Gustafa", I meekly reply from the doorway with a somewhat hoarse voice, "Yea, I'm not feeling all too healthy. You shouldn't get too close, though, I wouldn't want you getting sick, as well". From the doorway I see Gustafa wearing his usual get up, green flower woven sombrero and all, and carrying his guitar on his back. He was still wearing the flower I gave him yesterday, tucked safely away in his hat; it made me smile. Gustafa's expression, however, seemed perplexingly perturbed.

"I'm not worried about coming down with anything, myself, I have an excellent immune system ", Gustafa confidently gestured," But I feel responsible for getting you sick yesterday, Nami and I are fairly used to getting soaked in the rain, I didn't even stop to think about how _your_ body might take it", his tone was now apologetic. I waved my hands in disagreement but before I could say anything he spoke up again, leaning closer into the doorway, "I really felt I should stop by and check up on you, and maybe take care of you for a bit, won't you please let me? It really is _my fault_ you've come down with this cold, it's even holding you back from your work" His icy blue eyes were now peering into mine from over top his purple sunglasses. In all honesty, I had no idea what to say, I didn't want Skye to have to awkwardly hide in the bathroom, but I also don't want to be rude to Gustafa, especially after he seems to care so much. I'm touched that so many people feel the need to try to take care of me when I'm feeling unwell.

"I-I guess that's fine", I hesitantly answered him as my eyes found focus on the ground, "but you really shouldn't stay for too long, great immune system and all, you still might catch a cold if you're here all day". I opened the door all the way now and gestured for him to come in, "and, well, I need my rest, too", I murmured. Gustafa walked into my abode and looking around at the nearly empty home, I get the feeling he's noting its barrenness the same way Skye did.

"I really like the _vibe_ of your home, Jill, it has that simplistic feel to it", he warmly spoke to me, "I've always had a thing for wooden houses". As he walked farther into the room, Gustafa took notice of the two breakfast plates I had just finished making. _Oh no!_ I mentally screech at myself, _I totally forgot about the breakfast!_ "Ah, just curious, why'd you make two plates of food? Are you expecting company?" Gustafa turned to me and curiously asked. My mind frantically went back to my risky slip up in front of Gustafa about wanting to meet up with Skye last night. I had to think of an answer, and fast.

"Ahh, ha ha, haa, noo! I just gave a really big appetite, particularly when I'm sick", I nervously bark back, "t-that's all—" abruptly there was a loud THUD sound coming from the bathroom, my face instantly went pale. "L-Let me go check on that right quick, I think I left the window open," I sheepishly said to Gustafa as I zipped off into the direction of the bathroom, "Ahh, you can have one of those plates of food, if you want-". I was hoping the offering of food might distract him enough to not come near the bathroom right now, even if it meant sacrificing the breakfast I made for Skye. I quickly stepped into the bathroom, closing the door behind me, to find Skye leaning against the counter; he gazed into my eyes with a mischievous look and a slight smirk.

"Sorry 'bout that", Skye quietly spoke in a coy tone, placing a lot of emphasis on this wording, "I didn't _mean_ to knock something over, I just _missed you_ so much", he smiled, "How long does your friend intend on staying over? I don't wanna be lonely in here _all day long_ " I felt really guilty for making him stay cooped up in here, but for now, it's the only way to avoid an incredibly awkward situation. I'm sure he doesn't want to get caught, either. I sighed,

"I'm really sorry, Skye," I guiltily retort, "he shouldn't be here for too long, he's just checking up on me. I feel awful for having you hide away here, I promise I'll make it up to you" Skye lightly chuckled in response to my notion and walked a few step over, now leaning in towards me.

"I may just have to take you up on that offer", he mischievously whispered in my ear. His forwardness made my heart race and my face glow a bright red, Skye seemed to be acting a lot more flirtatious all of a sudden, _could it be because Gustafa is here? Is he… jealous?_ I wondered to myself fleetingly, _I shouldn't stay back here for too long, or Gustafa is going to come check on what's going on, he's already really suspicious!_

"I should probably get back out there, before Gustafa decides to come investigate", I spoke my mind to Skye, still aflutter from what he said to me. Our faces were still really close; I could see Skye's face seemed to drop a bit after I said that, he clearly didn't want me to go yet.

"Jill?", Gustafa's voice spoke up from the other side of the door. My face went from blushing red to pale as a ghost white, Skye jumped behind the shower curtain as I tried to calm myself before opening the door. I had to think of a reason for being back here for so long, and it has to be a good one.

" _Heeey_ , Gustafa", I reply in my most calm and casual of voices, "sorry 'bout that, I've been having, ahh, plumbing issues, that's where that noise came from". I gestured over to the toilet with one eye closed, hoping he'd buy the story. At times like these, I really wished Gustafa didn't wear his sunglasses indoors, I have no idea what he's thinking right now. My second guest glanced around the small bathroom, surveying the area. He stared at the shower curtain, draped delicately in front of the bathtub, for a moment and paused- I swear my heart stopped beating for that second. Spontaneously, I gruffly asked him, "Y-You brought your guitar with you, right? Do you think you could play me that song you've been promising?" Gustafa turned from the shower curtain and stared back at me momentarily.

"Yeah, sure I can!" he then cheerily spoke, turning around and now practically skipping out of the bathroom. _I guess he really bought it!_ I gave a small sigh of relief and stared at the shower curtain for a moment to see Skye silently pop his head out and wave for me to come near. _How bold!_ I thought to myself _, he sure likes taking risks_. I leaned in to see what he wanted; he needed to make it quick before Gustafa notices. Out of nowhere, Skye suddenly planted his lips on my nose! The sudden peck on my nose stunned me, I clamped my hands over my mouth, it took just about everything in me not to make a sound in reaction, and it seemed to really amuse him. I could feel my face burning red and hot _, I honestly can't believe he did that!, Maybe he DOES want to get caught, after all. I'm feeling really flustered now_ , I exasperatingly thought to myself.

"Try not to have too much fun without me, princess", he whispered, then popped back behind the shower curtain. I hastily darted out of the bathroom and closed the door behind me, eager to get out of there. I cannot believe Skye sometimes! I turn to see Gustafa sitting down on the floor, next to my bed. _I really need to get some furniture, at least a table and chairs so people have a place to sit,_ I continued to absentmindedly daydream, presently not wanting to think about Skye anymore.

"Jill, your face is lookin' kinda red, how are you feeling?" Gustafa asked me as he stood up. I had a feeling my face might be noticeably flushed still, so I tried to play it up a bit; I appreciate him caring and all, but he definitely has to leave soon, this has just all been too much. Somehow I'm feeling more exhausted than if I'd have actually worked all day.

"I'll be fine, Gustafa", I softly replied as I took a seat on my bed, "I just need some rest". He paused for a minute.

"Here", he said to me as he handed over the other the plate of food I made earlier, "You should eat this before it gets cold". I grabbed the plate from him and leisurely started eating, it was nearly too cold for my tastes, but I'm not usually one to waste. I looked over at the plate I sacrificed to Gustafa in hopes of stalling him to see that it was ¾ gone. Gustafa noticed me staring off in the direction of the plate and spoke up, "The breakfast you made was really great, Jill, thank you so much for sharing it with me, it really hit the spot!", his smile was very kind and genuine. "Would you mind if I started playing my guitar while you ate?"

"Not at all!", I cheerily exclaimed back to him, I genuinely enjoy it when Gustafa plays his guitar. I was never really a music person growing up, but something about the harmony and tranquility of how he plays that fills me with this gentle, warm feeling. I continued to finish off my plate; Gustafa began strumming his instrument and melodically humming, but not quite singing yet. I watched intently, my eyes were locked onto him, I didn't entirely recognize it at first, but I think he was really nervous just now. He's played his guitar around me a few times before, but he never seemed quite this… tense? As I set my now completely empty plate down on the floor with plans to take care of it later, he continued performing for me.

A few minutes of strumming went by before Gustafa abruptly stopped, hesitant to speak up. "Ahh, sorry, Jill, I just.." he paused. "I don't really have a clue what to sing about! I've been trying to come up with new song lyrics for a while now, but I've just felt so… stumped lately". I let out a sigh of relief, Gustafa's sudden apology had me feeling anxious for a minute there, I'm glad it wasn't about anything too serious.

"Don't be sorry," I replied to him warmly, "I'm sure the lyrics will come to you in no time. You just need to find a little motivation, and you'll be singing in no time!" I gave my best efforts to encourage him, and it seemed to stick, Gustafa's face lit up and he showed me a large grin. He continued to stare at me for a moment before glancing to the clock on my wall.

"Well, Jill, it's getting to be pretty late in the afternoon, it's almost 4 PM already" he finally said after some moments of an awkward silence, "I should let you get your rest and everything, sorry I couldn't do more to help you out". Gustafa stood up from beside my bed, preparing himself to leave. I stood up right after, planning on walking my guest out, but he turned to me and spoke,

"You should just lay down, Jill, like I said, you probably should catch up on some rest; don't worry about seein' me out", he patted my head gently as he smiled. I probably should just take his advice; my head started feeling oddly tingly a few minutes ago, probably from not resting, as he mentioned. I thanked Gustafa for his visit and kindness one last time before lying back down in my bed, getting as comfortable as possible. I waved one final goodbye to Gustafa, and he returned it, before he closed my front door, making sure it was locked on his way out. I was so comfortable and content in my bed that I completely forgot about Skye for a second! I started to doze off as he quietly exited the bathroom, surveying the area.

Skye walked over to my bed and stared down at my sleeping face for a moment. He poked my cheek playfully and whimpered, "you're gonna take a nap after all of that?" My eyes shot open.

"Whaaaat, n-no way!", I retorted as smoothly as I could manage, while giving him the finger guns, "It was all a ruse- a sleepy, tired ruse". I sat up and smiled at Skye, feeling the relief of it just being the two of us now. Skye stared back at me for a moment before walking over and gently placing his hand on my forehead.

"Hmm, you're feeling a little warm again, maybe you should lay down for a while. I'll be a bit lonely, but your healthy recovery is what's most important", he smiled at me and drew his hand back from my flustered face.

Suddenly a loud grumbling sound echoed from Skye's stomach, his face lit up a bright shade of red. _Shoot, I completely forgot that I gave Skye's food to Gustafa!,_ I mentally scold myself, _aggh, I feel so bad!_

As if he could read my expression, Skye quickly spoke up, "I guess I'm running low on fuel, haha. I can prepare another round of my famous curry, how about you go take a nice, relaxing bath in the mean time?" he winked at me as he shifted his head to the side. I slowly nodded back to him, a nice hot bath did sound like what I need. I tottered over to the bathroom once again and gave Skye one final glace before I heading in; he was fiddling with my portable stovetop and gathering curry fixings.

As you began to draw your bathwater, thoughts of everything that's happened started to mull over in your head. It was really strange, having Skye stay over like this and just barely managing to keep him hidden from Gustafa. You were never exactly _good_ in situations like those; in a sense you couldn't wait to get back to your normal everyday routine. But at the same time, you can't help but enjoy the moment for what it is, people feeling genuinely concerned for you. Back before you moved to Forget-Me-Not Valley, you were for the most part on your own, working two part time jobs and going to college full time—always far too busy to have friends or make connections with anyone. Working on Harvest Farm is also time consuming, but not in the same way as your old lifestyle. More often than not, you always have time to relax at the end of the day, and talk with the ornate people of the Valley. It's really…. nice. This was really the first time you've stopped to think about how much you really appreciate your new life here.

You were almost too lost in thought to realize that the bathtub was almost overflowing! Promptly turning the knob to OFF, the steam from the hot water rose into your face, making it turn ever so slightly redder. Quickly disrobing and settling yourself into the now scalding tub, you let out a breathe of relief, surely this is what you needed all along to recover properly. _This feels great, but I shouldn't relax in here for too long_ ,you thought to yourself, _I have a bad habit of falling asleep in the bath, and this is_ not _the time for that_. Hastily grabbing the shampoo bottle, you began to take care of your bathing needs, the strong urge to fall asleep washing over you as well.

[. . .]

It didn't take you too long to finish up, you hopped out of the bathtub groggily when the realization of your lack of clothes to change into dawned on you. You grumbled as you grabbed your bathrobe that was hanging up on the wall. Opening the door slightly you noticed it lightly got wedged on something. You looked down to see a fresh pair of your pajamas neatly folded into a pile in front of the bathroom door. _How-when did he…?_ You began to ask yourself but smiled and waved it off, you were just grateful to have something to change into. Only a few minuets went by before you were already changed into your much more comfortable pajamas; it was a white lace tank top, with light blue fleece pj pants adorning a similar looking lacey trim, matching the trim on the tank. _It seems Skye's really good with matching clothes,_ you pondered. You hadn't even thought to wear these two articles of clothing together before, despite the now obvious it was to you now. Safely tucked back inside of your bathrobe, over the pajamas this time for extra comfort and warmth, you decided it was finally time to head back out. Steam escaped the bathroom as you opened the door all the way, stepping out of the room; the air in your living room/bedroom area was starkly colder than before.

You looked around the room to see Skye sitting upright on your bed, legs crossed, once your eyes met he bounced up and grabbed the two plates of curry he prepared. They seemed to still be cooling off, thankfully you didn't take too long in the bath.

"Heyyy, Jill", Skye hummed over to you, "Hope your bath was nice and soothing, dinner is done ~" he took a graceful bow as he handed my plate over to me. I hastily accepted it.

" _Yes_ , the bath was just what I needed! I should be 100% recovered and ready for work tomorrow morning!", I cheerily replied with a big grin, "and dinner looks astounding, once again! I can't wait to try Skye's famous wonder curry, _round 2_!" Skye seemed pleased by my positive reaction and took a seat on my bed as he began to take bites from the dish he prepared. I sat down next to him and started eating as well, the curry tasted almost identical to the one from last night, but it felt like Skye might've added an extra ingredient to enhance the flavors. Whatever it was, it tasted amazing!

I glanced over at the clock on the wall, shockingly it was already nearly 9 PM! I can't believe so much time has passed! The day felt like it dragged on impossibly, but at the same time, somehow, it felt like it all passed by so quickly? You continued taking small bites of the curry and daydreaming as the silence grew louder and louder between the two of you. Skye looked over at you and paused for a moment, observing you in your natural distracted state.

"Is everything okay, Jill?", he finally asked with a slightly concerned expression. This caused you to snap out of your trance and turn back to him, surprised. You noticed his plate was already cleared while yours was only about half eaten.

"Ah, yes, everything is fine!", you nervously replied, not wanting him to think you disliked his cooking, "I was just thinking how late it is already. Time really flew by these past few hours" Skye stared back at you for a moment before glancing at the clock then smiling faintly, a flash of relief went over him. You began eating the tasty curry once again to ensure your approval of the meal.

"Speak for yourself", he retorted in a playful tone after a second of silence, "it felt like ages I was trapped in that bathroom! And it was a _close call,_ I was almost _sure_ he was going to find me" Skye took a dramatic fall backwards as he stretched out on my bed. You managed to finish off the last few bites of your plate before replying,

"Y'know, I really do feel bad for having you hidden away like that. I haven't gotten any guests come over since I moved here so I really didn't expect anyone to stop on by", you tried to explain to him, also stretching out on the bed next to him. "But you were the one who kept knocking things over and being distracting, so don't put the close call on _me_ " your comeback matched his teasing tone perfectly, causing Skye to chuckle loudly.

"You got me there," he replied, still smiling from your last comment, now sitting up and turning to face you, "I was just trying to… liven things up a bit. I don't much care for being locked in small rooms for long periods of time like that. Sorry if it was a bit too much of a hassle, I'll be more careful _next time_ ". The way he said "next time" made you flutter a little at the thought of all of this happening over again. Once again that familiar wave of fatigue washed over you again as your eyelids began to feel particularly heavy. Skye took notice of your drained expression and slid over to the edge of the bed.

"Well, Ms. Jill, I think it's about time I take my leave", he spoke softly as he stood up, "it's been a real pleasure getting to stay here, taking care of you, but I think you should get some _real_ rest". He looked down at you with a soft gaze and patted your head lightly, "Try to take better care of yourself now. No more partying in the rain". As he turned around and started walking over to the door you abruptly sat up.

"W-wait, Skye!", you blurted out before he could get much farther. He turned around to face you with an inquisitive look on his face. "I-I just wanted to thank you for everything you've done. I really appreciate you making sure I made it home safe, for cooking dinner two nights in a row, and, er, for putting up with everything that's happened". I felt my face redden from thanking Skye for his kind deeds, and he returned it with a small blush of his own.

"Anytime", Skye stylishly retorted, "I'm glad I could be your shining knight in your time of need". He turned back around, taking a few more steps towards the door. He opened it slightly and peered out for a moment, making sure no one was near. Before he took his exit, he turned back around to face me one last time, "So I guess I'll see you around then, Jill" his gaze was almost piercing, "same time, same place, same weather" he nearly whispered, "Later~" he softly closed the front door before I even had the chance to respond.

I laid my head back on my pillows, attempting to wrap my head around the events of the past few days. It's finally all _over_ , I can finally go back to my normal routine, with significantly less awkward shenanigans, at least I hope so. Mere moments went by and I already started dozing off, finally able to genuinely rest my eyes. The exhaustion I felt was taking over swiftly as my vision began to grow hazy before I promptly fell asleep.

I wonder what tomorrow could have in store for me? I hope it's not rainy…

/Chapter 4- end/


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